


Nineteenth Birthday

by ElegantButler



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, Max Headroom - Fandom
Genre: M/M, post-suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-04 12:35:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12168993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElegantButler/pseuds/ElegantButler





	1. Discoveries

Nineteenth Birthday  
A Max Headroom/Kuroshitsuji Crossover

CHAPTER ONE: Discoveries

Bryce Lynch’s nineteenth birthday did not start off as he might have wished.

As Head of Research and Development he lived at Network 23, his living quarters doubling as his office. It was fully set up, though it lacked a kitchen and dining area since the network had a cafeteria and vending machine. He didn’t go out very much. Usually his excursions involved being dragged along on some unwanted adventure with Edison Carter.

Okay, so maybe adventure wasn’t the right word. But he felt he should be permitted the slight exaggeration since the outings usually involved him getting into some sort of trouble. Once he’d even nearly died in a thermal testing chamber. At least he hadn’t been alone with his fears. And Edison had shown him the courtesy of not hassling him about it later.

This morning, he had awakened at four. Checking the clock, he noticed the date.

“Happy birthday,” he told himself, debating whether he wanted to to take a four hour nap or just give up and get out of bed. Deciding on the latter, he headed off to the bathroom to wash up.

Walking past a dark-haired man in a Victorian suit and a long pruner, he closed the bathroom door. He washed his face and combed his hair. 

“You’re nineteen,” he told his reflection as he gazed into the green eyes that gazed back from the behind his glasses.

Wait a minute… green eyes? His eyes were brown. And had he seen someone in his studio?

Rushing out of the bathroom, he found himself face-to-face with the man he’d barely noticed before.

“Happy birthday,” the oddly dressed man said to him. “My name is William T. Spears. I’m head of the London division of the Grim Reaper Dispatch Society.”

“So I’m going to die?” Bryce asked him.

“You don’t remember, do you?” William asked. “No matter. Most don’t. I’m here to escort you to the Academy.”

“I already graduated from…”

“Not the Academy of Computer Sciences,” William said, patiently. “Grim Reaper Academy. You’ve been selected to become a Grim Reaper. If, that is, you pass your classes at the Academy.”

“I really don’t want to kill people,” Bryce told him.

“First lesson,” William told him. “We don’t kill people. Well, most of us don’t. That’s not our job. Our job is to find those who are dying and collect their souls so they can be delivered to their proper place in the afterlife.”

Bryce nodded. “So what’s with that thing?” he asked, indicating the pruner. “I thought you were meant to carry a sickle or a scythe or some such.”

“Each Reaper has his or her own personal deathscythe,” William explained. “You will start off with a sickle to begin with. When you graduate from the Academy, you will be allowed to have it modified to suit you.”

“Of course, darling, you’ll never have one as awesome as mine,” a new voice called out from behind Bryce.

“Grell,” William sighed. 

Bryce turned and saw the oddest man… or was it a woman… that he’d ever laid eyes on. 

This newcomer, Grell, had the same basic outfit on as William. But it was topped off with a long red ladies’ coat that was decorated with a large pretty black bow.

“This is Grell Sutcliffe,” William told him. “He…”

“She…”Grell corrected with some annoyance.

“Will be your tutor at the Academy. We’re mid season so I felt it would be best for Grell to help you catch up.”

Bryce nodded. “Thank you, Miss Sutcliffe.” 

Grell smiled, showing her razor-sharp teeth, then took Bryce by the hand and teleported back to the Reapers’ Realm.

William looked over Bryce’s studio for a brief moment, then teleported away himself.

 

“So,” Grell asked, nonchalantly, “what was it for you, dear? MIne was a broken heart.”

“What was what?” Bryce asked, a feeling of dread coming over him.

Grell’s green eyes, the same shade as his own were now, gazed deep into those transformed orbs. 

“Why did you kill yourself?”

 

Edison Carter decided to pop in on Bryce to wish him a happy birthday. Bryce had seemed down the day before. Edison had wondered about it, but hadn’t pushed the issue. Bryce would certainly talk to him about it if he needed to.

Tapping in the door code, he walked in the room and found it empty. There was a note on the monitor at Bryce’s main desk. Edison walked over to it and began to read:

 

Edison,

You’ll probably be the one who reads this first. I’ve isolated it from Max   
so he can’t alert you until it’s too late. Tomorrow I turn nineteen. Or I  
would have done if I hadn’t made this decision.

I don’t expect you to understand why. You’ve never been isolated from  
The only people your own age that you know because they work for…

 

Edison stopped reading. It was a suicide note. Horrified, he brought up the securicam files for Bryce’s studio.

 

Theora looked up as Edison stormed into Control, rubbing his face and looking very angry.

“Bring up the securicam files for Bryce’s studio,” Edison demanded. 

“Is Bryce…” 

“Shut up and do it,” Edison snapped.

Theora glared at him.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I just… I looked at the files on his computer, but they don’t make sense.” he explained.

“What are we looking for?” Theora asked, bringing up the files.

Theora saw Bryce take what she assumed to be a couple of sleeping tablets. She wondered why he was having sleeping problems. She fast forwarded it to morning. Bryce woke up, went into the bathroom. Then he came back out and stood there, apparently talking to himself for a few minutes. Then turning and doing the same thing again, before vanishing from the footage.

“I don’t get it,” Theora said. “Where did he go?”

“He can’t have gotten far,” Edison told her. “That wasn’t just one or two sleeping pills he took.”

Theora stared at him. 

“I found a suicide note,” Edison explained. 

“But he couldn’t have killed himself,” Theora argued. “You saw him! He was up and walking. Someone must’ve faked the note! They kidnapped him and altered the tapes! He must’ve been pleading with his kidnappers… not talking to himself.”

“So where were they?” Edison asked. “You can see all the way to the wall in the tape when he’s talking to himself… or whoever… in the first part. The direction he’s looking at is empty. There’s nobody there, Theora.”

“Except-cept-cept the two weirdos with the gar-gar-gardening tools.Tools.” Max told them.

“Who?” Theora asked.

“Show us,” Edison requested.

“...not our job. Our job is to find those who are dying and…”

Theora stared at the dark haired man who seemed to only appear on Max’s version of events. “Why does he appear on Max’s screen but not the others?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Edison told her. “But he’s definitely there. You can see Bryce interacting with him.”

“What are you two talking about?” Murray asked. 

“Bryce has…” Edison began.

“... might have…” Theora cut in…

“Bryce has be- has be- has gone off to learn how to be a Grim Reaper,” Max explained.

“Go bring him back,” Murray said. “He’s delusional if he thinks…”

“Murray, Bryce killed himself,” Edison explained.

“But there’s footage of him up and about and talking to two…” Theora turned to Max. “Grim Reapers?”

“Haven’t you been listening?” Max asked. He replayed his version of the scene.

“Max,” Theora said, when it was done. “Give me a split screen view. I want to compare the timestamps and lighting between the securicam file and what you saw.”

Max brought up both images, side by side. Watching them carefully, she could find no discrepancies.

“They’re both the same. Except for the fact that Bryce has company in Max’s version. What were their names again, Max?”

“William T. Spears, and Grell Sut-Sut-Sutcliffe,” Max told her.


	2. Meetings & Collections

CHAPTER TWO: Meetings & Collections

 

“What do you mean kill myself?” Bryce asked. “I didn’t… I mean…”

“You probably just forgot,” Grell shrugged. “A lot of us do, my dear. It’s a very traumatic event. You’ll remember some day, when the trauma doesn’t hurt so much.”

“You said you killed yourself over a broken heart… let me guess, some man didn’t see you for who you really are?”

“Exactly,” Grell said. “But I have my dear William now… so none of that matters anymore.”

“Sutcliffe…” William warned.

Grell blew him a kiss. “My William is so shy…” she told Bryce.

“Shouldn’t you be tutoring our new trainee?” William suggested through gritted teeth.

“Right you are, darling…” Grell laughed. He was about to escort Bryce off when a young man who had two-toned hair walked in.

“Boss!” he called out, cheerfully. He was about to say more when he noticed Bryce. “You must be new here,” he said with a sweeping bow. “Ronald Knox, Grim Reaper, at your service.”

“Bryce Lynch,” Bryce replied, not sure what else to do. 

“A pleasure,” Ronald assured him. “Why don’t I show you around? I know of a few nice places where we can get to know each other better…”

“Uh….” Bryce stammered. “Okay…”

Ronald brightened. “This way…” he offered.

“Actually,” William interrupted before they could reach the door, “Mr. Lynch has a great deal of catching up to do. So he will be with Sutcliffe for the remainder of the day.”

“Another time then,” Ronald decided, knowing better than to argue with Spears.

William turned to Grell and handed him a long list. “This is today’s worksheet. Take Lynch out and show him the basics.”

“Come along, now,” Grell beckoned to Bryce. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Bryce looked at the list. It was very long and it seemed as if there were at least fifteen names on it. One of them caught his attention:

Blank Reg.

Wordlessly, he followed Grell to the human world to make his first collection.

 

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Cheviot asked as he stared at Murray over the view phone link.

“That’s just it,” Murray admitted. “I’m not sure. Edison said he overdosed on sleeping pills last night. We found the pills and it does look like he took a full bottle. But there is no body. There are also indications of Bryce leaving with two strangers this morning. But they only show up on the tapes that are from Max’s point of view.”

“So either Bryce killed himself or…”

“Or we don’t know what happened,” Murray admitted, his voice downcast. Over the three years he’d known him, Murray had developed a grudging respect for the young genius.

“I’m really sorry about Bryce in either case,” Cheviot said. “It sounds like he’s not coming back in either case. I’ll tell the Board. Thank you, Murray.”

 

Grell and Bryce stood atop the Network 23 skyscraper, gazing down at the city around them.

“This is a wonderful vantage point,” Grell told Bryce. “We can see everything from up here.”

Bryce looked in the general direction of the Fringes. “How do we see what we’re looking for?”

“Focus,” Grell told him. “Like you do when you’re trying to find a road on a map.”

Bryce focused his eyes on the area of the Fringes where Big Time was. He was surprised to discover that he could see the pink bus clearly, as if it were only a hundred feet away.

“Reg and Dom look like they’re enjoying themselves,” he told Grell. “They both look fine. Are you sure Reg is supposed to die today?”

“The record is never wrong,” Grell told him. “Is he a friend of yours?”

Bryce nodded. “I can do this,” he added. “How long until…”

“Two minutes,” Grell told him. 

The teleported themselves from the skyscraper to a few yards from Big Time.

 

Dominique came running out of Big Time as Edison approached with Theora.

“Dom?” Edison asked.

“Edison! Help me!” Dominique was nearly in tears as she choked out ”Reg just fell over! I think he’s having a heart attack!”

Edison entered the bus while Theora stayed with Dom.

“Reg!” Edison shouted at his friend. “Reg, can you hear me?”

Reg wasn’t looking at Edison, however. Instead, his eyes were focused on something else.

“Your eyes…” he said. “They’re different.”

“They’re the same as they always were,” Edison told him.

“Not yours,” Reg said weakly. “Bryce’s…”

“Bryce is… gone… Reg,” Edison said, his voice heavy with emotion.

“He’s right here,” Reg told him.

“He can’t see me, Reg,” Bryce told him. 

“Can you make him see you?” Reg asked.

Edison stared in shock as Bryce appeared before him. He looked fairly normal, except for his now-green eyes and the small death scythe he held in one hand.

“Bryce…” Edison asked. “Can’t you spare him?”

“We all die in our time,” Bryce told him. “Sometimes, a life if spared if we discover that there is a reason for them to continue. But such times are rare, I’m afraid.”

Dominique and Theora rushed in.

“Bryce?” Theora asked.

Dominique saw what Bryce was holding and reached out to him, imploringly.

“Please, spare him!”

Bryce looked at them for a moment, then turned to Reg.

“I’ll make this as painless as I can,” he said, touching his scythe to Reg’s chest.

“What is that mist?” Dom asked. “His soul?”

“No,” Bryce told them. “The soul is already collected. You can’t see it as I do, but it’s called his cinematic record.”

“Is that when your life flashes before you?” Theora asked.

“Something like that,” Bryce told her.

“Come, Bryce,” Grell told him. “We’ve still got half a dozen reapings. And we have to fill in the paperwork or Will is going to give us both overtime.”

“Paperwork?” Edison and the others heard Bryce ask is he and Grell departed. “You’re kidding me, right?”


	3. Knox and Lynch

CHAPTER THREE: Knox and Lynch

Bryce stood in line at Lawrence Anderson’s following his graduation from the Grim Reaper Academy. He was waiting to get his new glasses.

Pops smiled as Bryce arrived at the front of the line. He selected a pair of tiger-striped oval frames for the new Reaper.

“Well done,” he said, placing the spectacles on Bryce’s face.

Bryce was amazed at how much clearer he could see. With his old glasses, he’d been able to see well enough to see his ‘clients’. But the new ones were even better.

“Thank you,” Bryce told Pops.

Pops smiled as Bryce departed.

Bryce walked outside and was unexpectedly met by Ronald Knox.

“Wow! Those look great on you!” he complimented.

“I thought you were on assignment,” Bryce told him.

“I was,” Ronald admitted. “But I wanted to see you in your new specs. They look amazing.”

Bryce smiled.

“Are you going to customize your deathscythe?” Ronald asked him.

“I’m heading off to have that done next,” Bryce told him with a smile.

“How about dinner afterward to celebrate?” Ronald offered.

Bryce smiled. “I’d like that,” he agreed.

At the deathscythe facility, Bryce put in his order for customization.

“A bit unusual,” the head of the modification staff told him. “Most of our members choose a form of gardening implements. But I can do this. It’ll be ready by morning.”

Bryce rejoined Ronald momentarily.

“What customization did you go for?” Ronald wanted to know.

“You’ll see in the morning,” Bryce told him.

“I look forward to it.”

 

Ronald and Bryce walked along the street until they came to a dirt path that led into a park. Ronald led Bryce over to the fountain and sat upon its rim, laughing as the mist and splashers dampened his suit.

“You’re getting all wet!” Bryce pointed out.

“Yup,” Ronald shrugged. “Come on. You’re not wearing anything that won’t dry later.”

Bryce smiled. “True,” he agreed as he joined Ronald on the fountain rim.

As the center spray rose up to its full height and soaked them both, Ronald leaned forward and kissed Bryce.

Bryce, although slightly surprised, leaned into the kiss. He found it ironic that a few months after his untimely death, he had finally found the love of his… life?


	4. Back in the Human World

CHAPTER FOUR: Back in the Human World

Edison Carter sat in the Network 23 helicopter as Martinez flew it toward the new Zik Zak Know Shopping mall.

“I still can’t believe it,” the reporter told the chopper jockey. “He just touched Reg with that scythe. Didn’t cut him or anything, and Reg just… died.”

“A Grim Reaper, huh?”

“Apparently,” Edison said. “Our Bryce… Well, I guess he’s not our Bryce anymore. He seemed so… I don’t know… different. But he also seemed the same. It was hard to put a handle on it.”

“I guess a person would seem different if you saw them take out someone else’s soul.” Martinez pointed out.

“He said something about a cinematic record, whatever that is.” Edison added.

“Must be that part where the person’s life flashes before them,” Martinez guessed. “Well, we’re here,” he added as he landed the helicopter.

Edison hoisted his vidicam onto his shoulder.

“Control, I’m here,” he told Theora over the link.

“You’re all clear and ready to go. Murray says Cheviot wants you to focus on the speech that Ped Xing is giving.

Edison noticed the crowd that had surrounded the building. There were all kinds of people in all kinds of clothes. Even a few Blanks in their denim and grunge had come to see the opening, even though most of them couldn’t afford to shop there. Besides the Blanks there were people from Syberis Condos who were dressed in clothes of silks and soft cottons. Edison noticed a small group of people dressed in Victorian men’s wear, though the redhead was wearing a long red coat over hers. 

Edison ignored them for the moment and found a spot where he could get a clear view of Ped Xing.

“This is Edison Carter coming to you live and direct on Network 23,” he told his viewers. “Shopping is a favored pastime for those who can afford it. From necessities like food and clothes, to amusements like games and recreational electronics we find the things we want and need in the various shops along our streets.”

“You’re coming in loud and clear,” Theora told him.

Edison continued.

“Now, Ped Xing, chairman of the Zik Zak Corporation is here to introduce us to a new way of shopping.”

He focused the camera on the small Japanese man who stood upon a pedestal behind a large red bow.

 

“Today marks the rebirth of a phenomenon known as the Shopping Mall. In this building several shops exist together.”

The men and woman in Victorian dress began to move through the crowd as if taking up positions for something. 

“No longer will shoppers need to go down one street for a new pair of pants and down another to buy a new TV. Now everyone in this city will be able to do their shopping in one convenient location.”

The redhead moved to stand less than a couple of yards away from Ped Xing.

“So now,” Ped Xing conclude, “let me welcome you all to the new Zik Zak Know Shopping mall.”

He cut the ribbon and there was a massive explosion.

Edison heard the roar of a chainsaw and saw the redhead leap upon Ped Xing.

“My god, Control!” he cried, aiming his vidicam at the gruesome scene. “Do you see that?”

A man with black hair in Victorian clothing was striking people who were laying in the rubble with a long-handled pruner. Their bodies stilled forever as the pruner’s blade touched them.

The redhead turned her attention away from the now-deceased Ped Xing and ran to join Pruner.

“This is Edison Carter coming to you, thankfully live and direct, at the ruins of the Zik Zak Know Shopping mall where a violent explosion has taken the lives of Ped Xing and several innocent shoppers. The casualties are mounting as we speak and nobody knows what the final count will be.”

The redhead sped by him on her way to another collection.

“Be sure to get my good side, darling,” she told him.

“Grell, the camera doesn’t catch us.” Pruner reminded her.

‘Grell?’ Edison thought to himself. ‘Strange name for a lady.’

“Oh Will,” Grell replied. “Don’t spoil a lady’s fun!”

Several of the oddly dressed men seemed to vanish, the way the men in Bryce’s studio had.

“You!” he shouted at William. “You’re the one who collected Bryce!”

William turned to face Edison.

“William T. Spears,” he said, briefly.

“Why can I see you?” Edison asked. “Am I about to die?”

William T. Spears checked his list.

“You’re not on my list for today,” he assured Edison. “You can see me because you know someone who has become a Grim Reaper.”

“Bryce,” Edison said. “How is he?”

“He graduated the Grim Reaper Academy with the second highest marks ever,” William said. “He just got his new Reaper Spectacles and his deathscythe is being customized as we speak.”

“Why isn’t he here?” Edison asked.

But William did not answer. Instead, he resumed his own task of reaping the souls of those who did not survive the explosion.


	5. Consequence

CHAPTER 05: Consequence

Bryce sat at his desk filling out the day's paperwork. He smiled as his fingers touched the keys of the old-style typewriter. It reminded him of his old computer back in the human world.

He'd asked why there were no computers in the Reaper's Realm.

The teacher smiled at him and asked. "Why should we have computers when our current system has worked just fine for the past several thousand years?"

Bryce had to admit the man had a point.

"It would be easier?" he suggested.

"Perhaps it would," the teacher acquiesced. "But easier isn't always better."

And Bryce had to admit that, aside from needing correcting fluid now and again, which really wasn't that big a deal, the teacher was right. The typewriter didn't crash in the middle of his paperwork like Network 23's old computer sometimes did.

As he worked, William T. Spears approached him.

"Somehow Edison Carter survived the explosion at the mall," he remarked. "I wonder how that happened."

"Haven't got a clue," Bryce replied.

"Interfering with a reaping is a serious infraction," William reminded him.

"Wasn't me," Bryce shrugged. "I was with Knox all afternoon."

"I won't even ask what you were doing," William remarked, returning to his office.

Ronald turned from his own paperwork and winked at Bryce as soon as William had departed from the room.

Bryce smirked back at Ronald. "You think he still suspects something?"

"Of course," Ronald told him. "William's not stupid. "

"I didn't think he was," Bryce replied. "I just couldn't let anything happen to Edison."

"Everyone dies," Ronald reminded him. "We're going to have to collect Mr. Carter someday."

Bryce sighed. "I know, Ronnie. I just wish it could be later."

"He was supposed to die in the explosion," Ronald pointed out. "William knows that. He was the one who gave Grell the collection sheet with Carter's name on it."

"I know," Bryce remarked. "I just couldn't bear to think of Edison dying like that."

"Be that as it may," William said from behind them both, "Edison Carter was meant to die. And he will pass away tonight."

"No!" Bryce shouted.

Everyone turned. Other than Grell, nobody shouted at William T. Spears. 

"In fact," Spears added. "Since you're so concerned about his well-being, you will be the one to collect his soul."

"I..." Bryce began.

"Collection is scheduled for 10:37 PM," William said. "Grell, you will go with him. If he shows any sign of holding back, you will collect the soul."

Bryce pointed at Grell. "He uses a chainsaw!" he shouted in angry horror.

"Well then, I suggest you use your own deathscythe on Carter so that Grell won't have to use his chainsaw."

"Yes, Mr. Spears," Bryce gave in.

Edison relaxed in front of the TV. He was feeling rather sick but attributed that to the death and destruction he had witnessed. As a reporter, he saw these things on a regular basis. But unlike some reporters who grew tough over time, Edison refused to allow himself to become detached from the carnage around him.

It was these feelings, the compassion and horror in his voice as he covered such events, that made him appeal to his audience.

The final death toll had been about twenty people with another fifteen badly injured. He wondered if any of those people would receive a visit from one of the men in Victorian garb. 

He wished he could capture these men on camera. Even interview one. But they would not appear on-screen. And he doubted his voice would be captured on a tape.

There was a knock on his door around 10:30. 

He opened the door and saw Bryce standing there along with the redheaded Reaper who had collected Ped Xing.

"Edison," Bryce said, "I'd like you to meet Grell Sutcliffe. She's one of my new coworkers."

"I saw you earlier," Edison told Grell. "You collected Ped Xing's soul at the explosion."

"Ped Xing," Grell mused. "Ah yes. That short fellow. He had quite a boring cinematic record. Nothing but board meetings and stuff about money. I hope yours will be much more exciting."

"Grell," Bryce reminded her. "Remember, Edison's my reap."

"So you've come to collect my soul, Bryce?" Edison looked at his friend.

"I have," Bryce confirmed. "I'm glad it's me. At least it won't be painful."

At 10:37 Bryce held up a tiny television set, about the size of a children's toy. 

"A television set," Edison noted.

"The soul is collected over the airwaves and stored within the set," Bryce explained. "The cinematic record plays upon the screen."

Tapping the top, he activated the set.

"Goodbye, Edison," he said, watching Edison's life unfold upon the tiny screen.

A moment later, the record finished and Bryce turned off the set, placing it in a pocket.

Then, without looking back, he left the apartment with Grell.


End file.
